Why Attend ETC

 
Entering its 25th year, the Educational Travel Conference is the founding conference for alumni, museum, zoo and conservation, and nonprofit educational travel. It is the only forum of its kind dedicated to the advancement and education, of nonprofit alumni, museum, zoo, conservation, and other nonprofit travel professionals in the business of developing programs for lifelong learning through travel.

"Having had the pleasure of attending ETC (previously NPTC) most of the 22 years I've spent as a travel planner, I can say with great confidence the Ohio State Alumni Tour program has improved and continues to do so because of the knowledge and information our team has gained through this magnificent venue. What I've achieved professionally and personally from my experiences at the Conference is truly the icing on the cake!"
Patti Cattey, former Director Alumni Tours, Ohio State University Alumni Association

A conference designed specifically for those who run travel programs as part of their programming offerings to members/alumni, attendees collaboratively grapple with the ethical, business, programming and marketing issues that face nonprofit and affinity travel programs today including ways to enhance and improve the competitiveness of program offerings, alumni/member engagement, revenue return and new traveler recruitment.

"ETC is a well attended, well-run, and much appreciated event for all of us in the nonprofit travel industry. I have attended this event with Smithsonian Journeys since 2001, and in 2006 it will be my first year attending as the head of ParkScapes program with NPCA. This event has been a wonderful way for me to understand the industry and helped me grow professionally."
Wendy Audie, Former Associate Director, Travel and Donor Programs, National Parks Conservation Association

The Conference hosts more than 400 delegates absorbed in several days of inspired sessions, first-rate social venues, and educationally rich "experiences" on site. The Conference is purposely kept intimate and small to ensure high-quality networking and small group educational experiences with like-minded individuals and/or like organizations. Designed to address the issues of most critical importance today to alumni, museum and nonprofit travel today, a substantive educational program with outstanding speakers delivers a vertically rich and integrated educational experience over the course of 2.5 days with 60+ educational sessions, collegial roundtables and different tracks on a variety of timely topics.

"Each year's ETC conference is a MUST DO conference. The networking is so important for each of us - as you know, we are all far too busy to stay in touch otherwise and to be able to devote 3-4 days with colleagues to learn more, share more and just be friends has been something we can all look forward to each year."
Sheri Hicks, Director, Alumni Travel, Wisconsin Alumni Association, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Whether travel planners currently work with one exclusive operator, are just starting to work with operators or have a great range of travel partners handling their travel programs, ETC facilitates a quick overview and introduction to the who's who of alumni and nonprofit travel at this major annual "happening!" It is the place to check out who is doing what in travel—well! Travel programs, large and small, are represented.

"The Educational Travel Conference - a dynamic educational exchange - is without a doubt, one of the highlights of my year. I first attended while I was working at Penn State University as Director of Alumni Education. From my previous experience at ETC, I knew that to be successful leading Dartmouth's program I had to get back to ETC. In as little as three years I took Dartmouth from 14 trips per year for 300 travelers to 42 trips with over 700 travelers. We have improved the efficiency of our operations and we are providing more services to our travelers than ever before. I see ETC as the major influence for the success and expansion of the travel program at Dartmouth. I look forward to each conference for inspiration, learning, and new friendships."
Roberta Moore, Director, Alumni Continuing Education and Travel, Office of Alumni Relations at Dartmouth College

A mainstay of ETC for the past 25 years is the series of travel planner only roundtables for discussion of issues and ideas specific to travel program size, affinity focus or planner experience level. Every year the hallmark of ETC is strong content and creative programming choices. The formidable lineup of plenary speakers and diverse session formats and topics speaks volumes of the quality and timeliness each year of the agenda focus, the fresh approach to program delivery, the practical value of take home information and intensity and integrity of collegial discussions and networking. The quality of and relevance of educational sessions, the targeted focus on travel issues, and the invaluable collegial interaction not only with colleagues from like institutions or like size programs, but also with credible and proven travel partners, remain central to the conference mission.

"Each year, though I should know better by now, I am surprised anew by the amount of information presented at the conference, and by the fact that it is attended by dozens of educational institutions offering travel programs. This conference is, every year, an incredible achievement. This is the only professional development conference I attend. It has everything I need in one place and is always presented by experts in whatever information I'm seeking - marketing, legal issues, travel trends, finding capable travel providers. This conference is INVALUABLE to me."
Heidi Quiram, Program Director, Center for Lifelong Learning, St. Olaf College

Nowhere has such a highly qualified international group of nonprofit travel planners, suppliers, specialty tour operators and destinations been assembled to focus on the development, operation and marketing of group educational, experiential and affinity travel worldwide. ETC also brings together all of the key and established operators, destinations, and suppliers serving the alumni, museum, and nonprofit travel market. The opportunity to meet with business partners from all corners of the world, at one time, under one roof, within the International Bazaar—"networking central"—is one of ETC's great time efficiencies. Over 300 well profiled US tour operators, travel suppliers, in country foreign operators and destinations that understand the marketing and programming and price points required for a diverse range of nonprofit travel programs are represented.

"This conference is the one place where we all come together, share ideas, learn what's new, what's working and what isn't."
Philip Lovejoy, Deputy Director, Harvard Alumni Association.

As nonprofit travel planners have explicitly required that education be the top priority, ETC is not designed, delivered or promoted as a trade show. The quality of educational sessions for professional development and the value of special entertainment and meals for networking have remained the top priority without commercial compromise.

Established in 1987, the Conference was initiated by the Conference Founder, J. Mara DelliPriscoli, President, Travel Learning Connections, Inc., as a pioneering effort to provide highly customized educational programming, professional development and affinity-based networking forums for seasoned nonprofit alumni, museum and other nonprofit travel planners, as well as jumpstart training for newcomers to the field of nonprofit/educational travel and high level networking and peer to peer discussion for executives to whom travel planners report. Designed and operated from its inception as an educational resource, the Educational Travel Conference remains committed to its core objectives:

Delivering "content rich" conferences with cutting edge agendas

"This is the most content-laden conference in the travel industry." Jim Sano, President, Geographic Expeditions

Promoting profitable planner-supplier partnerships

"Having attended ETC on two sides of the business, as both an operator and now as an alumni travel planner, I can attest to the conference's positive position as the most important learning event of the year. I can and do vociferously tout ETC as the place to go for quality instruction and guidance from (and brainstorming with) the most talented and thoughtful group of colleagues one could assemble." Leslie Jennings Rowley, Executive Manager, Princeton Journeys

Building community through high quality networking and online resources

"I first attended the Educational Travel Conference in 2004. As the travel planner for the Alumnae Association of Smith College travel program. I find the conference helps me to stay energized when planning my program. The conference helps me to bring "the world" to our participants in new and creative ways. It also gives us all a sense of unity, healthy competition and an opportunity to develop lasting friendships in a fun environment. A marvelous chance to learn about all that is new and fascinating in the travel industry as well as making new connections and re-uniting with old friends. I look forward to many more conferences. It is the highlight of my working year!" Elizabeth Bigwood, Assistant Director for Travel Program, Alumnae Association of Smith College

Raising the bar of industry professionalism through training

"This is my 5th year attending ETC. Each year I take away not only a wealth of new information from the seminars, but also from the new people who I meet each year. ETC has been an important part of the growth of the Georgia Tech Alumni Travel program and my own growth as a travel planner."
Martin Ludwig, Director of Travel, Georgia Tech Alumni Association

Advancing and transforming mission driven programming and responsible tourism agendas